About Us
Located in downtown Nellysford, Virginia, Belties will offer a truly unique breakfast, brunch, and lunch experience to local residents and visitors.
With a blend of authentic country charm, delicious food and drinks, and a welcoming vibe, we hope to make every visit feel like home—inviting you to stay awhile and come back often. Creating a truly memorable experience for our guests is what we’re all about.
Dream Team
The Belties project was founded by John Washburn and Scott DeFusco. Many may know John from his role as the founder of the Bold Rock Cider Company, which originated in Nellysford, VA, and has grown into a very popular and successful national brand. After the sale of Bold Rock to ABV in 2019, John and Scott started working on the Belties concept. John, a lifelong resident of Nelson County, is passionate about creating unique experiences that bring people together.
Scott DeFusco and his family have owned homes on Wintergreen mountain for over 20 years. Much of that time has been spent enjoying all the wonderful activities and businesses that Nelson County has to offer. Scott recently sold the business he founded, Capturelife, and the family moved to Stoney Creek in Nelson County. Scott is excited to work with his good friend John on making Belties a place where other families can create great memories.
Meet our Founders
Origin of the Belties Brand
The idea for the Belties brand came from John Washburn. In addition to being a very successful entrepreneur, John and his wife Robin have an affinity for farm life and share a love of animals. They recently became enamored with miniature Belties, a traditional Scottish breed of cattle, and decided to raise their own here in Nellysford, VA.
Given the rural nature of the business we are creating, combining Belties with the project was a natural fit. They are unique, beautiful, and endearing animals that will add an authentic and magnetic dimension to the customer experience. The Belties will be on site for customers to view and interact with. Not only will they draw people to the business, but they will also create an infectious vibe that will keep people coming back. For these reasons, the Belties will be incorporated into all facets of the brand and customer experience.
Meet two of our lovable miniature Belties -
Buckle and Biscuit
Belties will be welcoming you daily from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. More than just a meal, we’re all about creating a warm, inviting experience with every visit. To complement that, we’ll be serving up delicious, freshly made breakfast drinks and food every day. Our menu includes handcrafted specialty coffees, savory southern-style breakfast biscuits, a variety of mouthwatering waffle dishes, and healthy breakfast options to start your day right.
The Menu
Belties Coffee
Belties will offer high quality coffee drinks that will be roasted on site and brewed on demand, thus delivering on our commitment to offering delicious, fresh coffee drinks. Complementing more standard coffee options will be specialty drinks, including lattes, espressos, and cold brews.
We also plan to mix things up a bit by offering a unique product, coffee flights. These flights will include a tasty sampling of the more popular drinks topped with flavored accents.
Belties Biscuits
The cornerstone of the Belties breakfast fare will be savory southern-style biscuits. Made fresh daily, Belties biscuits will combine southern tradition with unique ingredients to create truly delectable and memorable breakfast sandwiches. They will be simple, authentic, and ingredient-driven. Portions will be generous.
We imagine some core biscuits that will be served year-round with some specialty or seasonal options being introduced from time to time. We also plan on naming the different biscuits after our adorable Belties.
The
Belties Experience
Site Overview
Belties will be located on a 3-acre parcel (2884 Rockfish Valley Hwy) in downtown Nellysford, VA. The Belties campus comprises:
Main farmhouse building with indoor and outdoor dining (including expansive sun room) as well as a drive through window for convenience.
Drive through barn that will also serve as a shelter for the Beltie cows.
Belties park, which includes the Belties fenced in pasture and a stone walled picnic area.
Parking
The Farmhouse
The main building will be a classic-style farmhouse that pays homage to the one that previously adorned the property. We reclaimed several items from the old house, including doors, wood, stair posts, and more, that will be used in the new farmhouse. We also reclaimed some of the dead trees on the property, which will be used for the coffee bar and other accents.
The farmhouse cafe will offer a generous amount of indoor seating in the main room and adjoining large sunroom, both of which will share a double-sided fireplace. Outdoor seating will be available on the large covered wraparound front porch and the picnic area at Belties Park.
Belties Park
Belties Park will include a fenced-in pasture where the Belties will live and graze. This entire area will be accessible to guests who want to see and interact with the Belties. Next to the pasture will be a stone-walled picnic area for guests to enjoy.
Stone Wall & Picnic Area
